Hand-Me-Downs

You have no idea how much joy this picture brings me. This is one of my second grade students and the shirt she's wearing originally belonged to a girl named BD. (BD is currently in her last year of nursing school.) BD grew out of it and handed that shirt down to my daughter K, when K was about five. (K is currently a senior in high school.) K wore it until it no longer fit and then we handed the shirt down to AK. AK wore it and then passed it on to two sisters - both with the initials LP. They enjoyed the shirt until they handed it down to its current owner - my second grade student pictured above. 

Six girls have played and learned in that same shirt; and when it no longer fits its current owner, I'm sure it will move on to another little Island girl. I love that the Mackinac Island community works that way. 

Student photo used with permission.

Swapping

Two days ago I started making homemade clotted cream. It is simple to make but it takes about 24 hours, so it can't be rushed.  (I now understand why the stuff is so darn expensive.)

I made the clotted cream and my lovely neighbor made cherry almond scones.  And then we each gave half of what we made to the other. It was the best breakfast I've had in weeks: homemade scones and clotted cream - delightful. We'll have to do it again when we can enjoy breakfast together!

Swapping Fun

Monday night we saw the UPS dray coming down our street. Could it be? Were they delivering a box from Vancouver?

It was a box from Vancouver!

Filled with wonderful surprises!

Personalized necklaces, beads to string...

books...

a toy ferry boat - complete with "toot"...

balloons...

computer games...

those bead-thingies you put together and iron to make pictures...

but that's not all. There was a cute kit to make picture frames out of CD holders, a book for me, barrettes, bracelets, heart clips, name plates for the kids (that even matched S's bedroom,) homemade letter magnets for the fridge, stickers, and best of all - a picture of our new friends!

Thank you so much L! You and the girls put together a super package. S is already asking when we can swap again.

Safe Journey

Attention L, my swap partner,
do not read any further!

Lest ye spoil the surprise...

Here is our swap box, all ready to go out in the mail earlier this week....

We joined the Little People Care Package Swap back in early March (or was it late February? I can't remember...) There are a number of swaps going on right now and I was lucky enough to be looking in the right place at the right time and came across this one in time to actually join in. Whoo-hoo! I loved this swap because it was all about the kids.

The rules were simple: Send a picture of your family or children, a postcard or map from your town, or a photo of your house, and a note (along with your swap items.) If we chose to spend money, the limit was $10.00 - not including shipping. Also, packages had to be sent no later than April 1st.

The kids and I worked on our swap items for a few weeks. I decided on an art and science theme, and we sent the supplies for art projects and science experiments. Along with a few items that didn't really fit the theme, but we wanted to send anyway. Here's what we came up with:

The required postcards and photos, contact paper mosaics, Polygon pictures (pictures made with stickers of different shapes,) misc. stickers, two of our most favorite CDs (look here and here,) two slightly loved books S wanted to share,

a marble painting kit, two crayon rolls, a little fabric ball, soy bean seeds to sprout and investigate as they grow, flower pencils, honey from my husband's bee hive, a bib, and a kit for growing crystals on pipe cleaner shapes.

(I could not interest S in dictating notes, so sorry L, they are all me.) The scariest thing is - we only went over budget by about $2.00. Remember, I live on an island and need to have things on hand since I can't just run out to the store whenever I want to. Oh yeah, and I am a total pack rat, too. Just ask my husband... So safe journey little brown box. We hope you make it to Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, safely.